Essentials by Les Éditions CEC

Table of Contents How to Use Essentials...................................... iv Start Test........................................................... vi WORDS 1.1 Dictionaries................................................... 8 1.2 Essential Words.......................................... 10 1.3 Root Words................................................. 12 1.4 Prefixes and Suffixes................................... 14 1.5 False Cognates............................................ 16 1.6 Articles........................................................ 18 1.7 Nouns: Spelling........................................... 20 1.8 Count, Non-count Nouns and Quantifiers........................................... 22 1.9 Verbs: Spelling............................................ 24 1.10 Verbs: The Present...................................... 26 1.11 Verbs: The Past........................................... 28 1.12 Verbs: The Future Forms............................ 30 1.13 Modals......................................................... 34 1.14 Adjectives.................................................... 38 1.15 Appearances: People.................................. 40 1.16 Appearances: Clothing............................... 42 1.17 Personalities................................................ 44 1.18 Describing People: Idiomatic Expressions................................. 46 1.19 Adverbs....................................................... 50 1.20 Register....................................................... 52 1.21 Tone............................................................. 54 Roundup 1........................................................ 57 SENTENCES 2.1 Sentences: Parts and Types........................ 58 2.2 Linking Words: Time................................... 60 2.3 Linking Words: Compare and Contrast...... 62 2.4 Linking Words: Cause and Efffect.............. 66 2.5 Run-on Sentences and Fragments............. 70 Roundup 2........................................................ 73 PARAGRAPHS 3.1 Generating Ideas......................................... 74 3.2 Topic Sentence............................................ 78

3.3 Introduction, Thesis and Conclusion.......... 80 3.4 Body Paragraphs......................................... 82 Roundup 3........................................................ 85

ESSAYS 4.1 Process Essay............................................... 86 4.2 Narrative Essay............................................ 88 4.3 Descriptive Essay........................................ 90 4.4 Compare and Contrast Essay...................... 92 4.5 Cause and Effect Essay................................ 96 4.6 Argumentative Essay................................ 100 4.7 Persuasive Essay....................................... 102 4.8 Answering Essay Questions..................... 104 Roundup 4...................................................... 106 EDITING 5.1 Essential Words and False Cognates........ 108 5.2 Articles and Nouns.................................... 109 5.3 Verbs: Spelling.......................................... 110 5.4 Verbs: Tenses............................................. 111 5.5 Modals....................................................... 113 5.6 People Adjectives...................................... 114 5.7 Idiomatic Expressions............................... 115 5.8 Register and Tone..................................... 116 5.9 Sentences.................................................. 117 5.10 Paragraphs................................................ 119 5.11 Essays........................................................ 121 Exit Test.......................................................... 124 SAMPLE ESSAYS AND ADDITIONAL REFERENCE Sample Essays................................................... 126 Common Preposition Combinations.................................................... 132 Linking Words: Overview................................. 133 Punctuation and Capitalization........................ 134 False Cognates.................................................. 135 Common Irregular Verbs – Phonetic............... 136

TABLE OF CONTENTS

iii

How to Use Essentials Introduction Essentials is systematically organized to provide useful reference material and practical writing activities for the needs of intermediate college-level students. There are six easy-to-use sections: Words, Sentences, Paragraphs, Essays, Editing and Additional Reference. The first four sections are devoted not only to the structure of the English language, but also to the often

START AND EXIT TESTS You may already know what you need to improve your writing, but the Start Test will help you to confirm your assumptions. We recommend you do this test before starting any unit in the book. During your second class, ask your teacher for the answers to the test, and then identify the units you will probably need to read carefully and work on throughout your semester. Note: Your teacher may ask you to look at other units. Re-evaluate yourself in the Exit Test, once you have finished the units you’ve targeted at the beginning of your course.

overlooked aspect of developing the necessary vocabulary for college-level essays. The Editing section primarily reviews all of the theory found in the first four units. And, finally, the Sample Essays and Additional Reference section provides useful sample essays and also lists for commonly misused words and mechanics. Unit Numbers in Each Question The questions in both tests are organized in the order of the units in the book, from Unit 1.1 to Unit 4.7.

Theory

Practice Activities

WORDS, SENTENCES, PARAGRAPHS AND ESSAYS The units for each of these sections always begin on the left-side of a two-page spread so that the theory appears on the left and the practice exercises on the right and subsequent pages. The purpose of this two-page spread is to facilitate learning.

ESSENTIALS

Cross-references For complete information about a theory, make sure to read the crossreferences.

Dictionary logo Whenever a dictionary is needed for an activity, this logo appears.

Breaking the Rules To better understand what is appropriate in written English, read these rubrics found in the margin.

Fun Facts To learn something new, read these fun facts.

EDITING If you need more practice, try these exercises.

ROUNDUPS 1, 2, 3 AND 4 If you’re ready for a challenge, try a writing task which consolidates all of the material covered in a section.

SAMPLE ESSAYS AND ADDITIONAL REFERENCE Sample essays and useful lists for writing are available at the back of the book.

HOW TO USE ESSENTIALS

Start Test INSTRUCTIONS: Do this test to discover the units you should focus and work on in this book. The numbering refers to a unit number. Choose the best answer in each.

1.1 An intransitive verb has …

a) a particle.

b) no object.

c) a preposition.

1.2 A ... is not a part of speech.

a) noun

b) verb

c) conjunction

d) syllable

1.3 The root word gala means ...

a) a show.

b) a gallon.

c) size.

d) milk.

1.4 The suffix -ence means …

a) act of.

b) be.

c) beside.

d) combined.

1.5 He ... the funeral last night.

a) assisted

b) attended

c) adapted

d) assumed

1.6 Robbers held up ... SAQ store.

a) some

b) a

c) an

d) no article

1.7 The divers saw so many kinds of … a) fisch.

b) fishes.

c) fish.

d) fishes.

1.8 I’m broke. I have … money.

a) a little

b) little

c) few

d) a few

1.9 It never … to me.

a) occured

b) ocurred

c) occurred

d) occur’d

1.10 Tim ... my time with his issues!

a) wastes

b) is wasting

c) waste

d) wasting

1.11 She was talking when I ...

a) was arriving. b) was.

c) arrived.

d) arrove.

1.12 They ... hit the other car!

a) ‘ll

b) ‘re going

c) ‘re going to

d) ‘ll be

1.13 As a child, I ... visit her daily.

a) would

b) have to

c) must not

d) should

1.14 It’s a … table.

a) metal round b) round, metal c) round metal d) around

1.15 Toni has ... skin.

a) chestnut

b) pasty

c) well-built

d) stubby

1.16 This fabric feels so …

a) mellow.

b) waxen.

c) checkered.

d) ample. b) thick-skinned.

1.17

Tell her anything. She’s …

a) loud.

b) proud.

c) shy.

1.18

He decides; he’s … at work.

a) the liar

b) the deputy

c) the manager d) the boss

1.19

They arrived very …

a) quicker.

b) fastly.

c) quickly.

ESSENTIALS

d) quick.

1.20

My complaint was ignored is… a) neutral.

b) informal.

c) formal.

1.21

Tone is … to identify in speech. a) hard

b) easy

c) not obvious d) uncertain

2.1

In the morning is a …

b) phrase.

c) clause.

d) saying.

2.2

I didn’t see her … two o’clock. a) since

b) when

c) until

d) whenever

2.3

We’ll leave … the terrible storm.

a) though

b) although

c) despite

d) in spite

2.4

He was late … that accident.

a) because

b) since

c) as

d) because of

2.5

The bird, is singing is …

a) a fragment. b) fused.

c) a phrase.

d) a comma splice.

3.1

Free writing is …

a) stressful.

3.2

A controlling idea reflects …

a) your ideas. b) your topic. c) theme.

d) your attitude.

3.3

A thesis answers …

a) how.

b) how and why.

c) what and why.

3.4

… your body paragraphs first. a) Organize

b) Find

c) Develop

d) Select ideas for

4.1

Process essays are …

a) directional. b) educative.

c) ironic.

d) directive.

4.2

Vivid narrative essays have…

a) descriptions. b) a point.

c) a setting.

d) a plot.

4.3

Descriptive essays offer…

a) all details.

4.4

Contrast essays are organized… a) dramatically. b) chronologically.

c) emphatically.

4.5

Cause essays focus on …causes. a) remote

d) indirect.

4.6

Argumentative essays require … a) opposite viewpoints.

4.7

A good persuasive essay …. a) focuses on the audience. b) considers the audience’s concerns. c) considers the audience’s needs. d) covers relevant and irrelevant points.

a) sentence.

b) stress-free. c) easy.

b) sensory details.

b) immediate c) actual b) logic.

d) slangy.

d) difficult.

c) emotional details.

c) other viewpoints.

START TEST

vii

1.1 Dictionaries 1 Learner’s Dictionary This type of dictionary will do much more than just give the definition of a word. Each word entry also offers practical information. a Syllable division The headword lor-ry has two syllables, and it should be separated this way in a line break. b Useful word Because lorry is a very useful word, it can be identified in some learner’s dictionaries with a key, a star or another symbol. c Word stress What looks like a small apostrophe indicates which syllable is stressed when speaking. In the word lorry, the first syllable is stressed. d Pronunciation The strange letters—appearing directly after the word searched—are the phonetic symbols of the word. Check the front or back of the dictionary for an explanation of these phonetic symbols. a Don’t forget to consider context when reading a dictionary entry. Many words have multiple meanings. The first meaning in a dictionary entry may not be what you need.

B C

e Spelling and regional variants Lorry (British English-BrE) means truck (North

f g

h i j k

American English-NAmE). The abbreviations: CanE (Canadian English), or AmE (American English) are also used in some learner’s dictionaries. Parts of speech Pay close attention to the part of speech. What do you need? A verb, noun, adjective? For more on Parts of Speech, see Unit 1.2. Form Alternate forms of spelling are provided for nouns. Verbs are usually identified as transitive or intransitive [without an object], with the symbol T or IT. This is followed by irregular forms of the simple past and past participle. Definition Since a word may have multiple meanings, read all of the meanings in the entry to make sure you have the right word. Register Learner’s dictionaries will identify words that are very formal, formal, informal or slangy. Collocation This refers to how words fit together: heavy, huge and ten-ton are words that come before lorry. Phrases or idioms There may be idiomatic or phrasal-verb meanings associated with the word. I think it fell off the back of the lorry. = was stolen It was loaded onto the lorry.

2 Other Recommended Sources • Thesauruses (dictionaries of synonyms) and word-building dictionaries are very useful for developing vocabulary in written and oral competencies. • Collocation dictionaries are excellent for improving English fluency. • Online dictionaries are not always free but they can be very practical, especially if they are downloadable on your mobile device. We recommend alphadictionary.com for looking up definitions in multiple dictionaries. Ask your teacher to recommend a dictionary for you. 8

ESSENTIALS

Choose the correct answer. 1. A thesaurus is a dictionary of … a) American English b) synonyms 2. Types of information found in a dictionary include … a) parts of speech b) pronunciation d) all answers in a, b and c

c) Greek/English c) regional variations

3. Phonetics is … a) the definition of the word

b) a part of speech

c) the pronunciation of the word

4. Collocation is … a) how words are divided

b) how words go together

c) word derivate

Complete the sentences. 1. Creepy is an informal synonym of

2. ’saɪbərpʌŋk is the phonetic entry for

3. Three examples of an intransitive verb are

4. The part of speech of ablaze is

5. About is a

Words

word.

6. Hinge is a noun, but also a

7. Hip-huggers are a type of pants; they’re also called

8. Take a hint is an idiomatic expression. It means

9. The register for knucklehead is

10. Interesting that / interesting to see / to be interesting are examples of

Circle the correct answer in parentheses. 1. I have to stop at the ABM. I’m out of cash. (CanE/AmE) 2. They bought a spanner to fix his bike. (AmE/BrE) 3. Bicycles are not allowed on sidewalks. (NamE/BrE) 4. Mike installed new faucets in the bathroom. (CanE/AmE) 5. Rory lives downtown in a small bachelor apartment. (BrE/CanE) 6. He was wearing a green jumper that drained the colour from his face. (CanE/BrE) 7. Excuse me. Could I have a few serviettes? (AmE/BrE) 8. I would like to introduce you to my flatmate. (BrE/CanE)

WORDS

1.2 Essential Words 1 Key Words As mentioned in Unit 1.1, most learner’s dictionaries supply a

list of words that have been selected for their usefulness. These are priority words and they are excellent starting points in expanding English vocabulary. Usually these key words are in bold or bigger print in the word entry and are immediately followed by a key or other symbol.

2 Academic Word List The Academic Word List contains 570 word families. It was conceived to help college students become familiar with words that are recurrent in their academic studies. Do an internet search for this list with the guidance of your teacher.

3 Parts of Speech It is important to be able to identify the parts of speech of English. This is a grammar basic. Recognizing parts of speech will enable you to place them in the right sequence in a sentence.

For examples of preposition combinations, see page 132.

Part of Speech article

Function determines a type of noun (specific or generic)

Examples The cat was found in an abandoned building. A calico usually has thick fur. They love to walk* and talk* together. Tyler is my sister. She’s a doctor, and she works in Vancouver. Ralph is busy; he just can’t stop. His life is a rollercoaster ride. This is a blue and white dress. He often gives away the answer. He is very fast. The kids jumped really quickly on the trampoline. I like reggae and blues, but I don’t like heavy metal and rap.

verb

expresses action or state of being

noun*

indicates a person, thing, place or an idea

pronoun

replaces the noun

adjective

describes a noun

adverb

describes a verb, an adjective or even another adverb

conjunction

joins words, phrases and sentences (but, and, or, so, because, etc.)

preposition

links a noun, verb or adjective to another part of the sentence to show place, position, time or method (to, at, on, in, after, under, with, through, etc.)

He went to work at the hospital. The guests will arrive in an hour.

interjection

expresses emotion, surprise

Oh no! Why didn’t you tell me last night?

* Nouns also include gerund and infinitive forms of verbs. Gerund: I like texting my friends. Infinitive: I like to text my friends.

10 ESSENTIALS

Indicate whether the following sentences are true (T) or false (F). 1.

Key words are specially identified in a learner’s dictionary.

A word in a dictionary is not always a key word.

The Academic Word List is a study tool for college students.

Conjunctions, but not prepositions, link words, phrases and sentences.

The Academic Word List contains 570 words.

Learner’s dictionaries have a very limited use.

Nouns also include gerunds and infinitives.

The Academic Word List is identified by a key symbol.

Identifying parts of speech is a grammar basic.

10.

Adjectives, articles and nouns in English do not take feminine or masculine forms.

Words

Identify the part of speech of the following words. 1. an

6. jogging

2. falcon

7. rapidly

3. wrote

8. Yes!

4. ourselves

9. enormous

5. and

10. at

Identify the underlined parts of speech in the following paragraph. He looked across the sea and knew how alone he was now. But he could see the prisms in the

art.

conj.

adj. pr.

adv.

deep dark water and the line stretching ahead and the strange undulation of the calm. The clouds were building up now for the trade wind and he looked ahead and saw a flight of wild ducks etching themselves against the sky over the water, then blurring, then etching again and he knew no man was ever alone on the sea. (Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea)

Complete the following sentences. 1.

are little words that join sentences.

contains useful study words.

h ave no feminine or masculine form and they are placed in front of nouns.

are helpful in determining the word order in a sentence.

can describe other adverbs.

can describe a state of being.

often express feelings.

WORDS

Exit Test INSTRUCTIONS: This test will help you target the parts you should read again. The numbering of each sentence refers to a unit number. Choose the correct answer. 1.1 Dictionaries do not usually

a) definitions. b) quotations. c) form.

d) idioms.

1.2 Conjunctions are used

a) replace

b) emphasize c) describe

d) join

1.3 The word spirit comes from ...

a) Greek.

b) French.

c) German.

d) Latin.

1.4 The prefix trans- means …

a) across.

b) through.

c) above.

d) beside.

1.5 The word assist means ...

a) attend.

b) help.

c) be in a place. d) save.

1.6 This is ... Highway 101.

a) the

b) a

c) an

d) no article

b) kissers.

c) kissings.

d) kisses.

include ...

to ... words.

1.7 I gave her one kiss, then two ... a) kiss’s. 1.8 The room was full of ...

a) fournitures. b) furniture.

c) furnitures.

d) fornitures.

1.9 We ... all day.

a) studyed

b) study’d

c) studied

d) studying

a) playing

b) have been playing

c) was playing

1.11 George ... eaten before I arrived. a) have

b) has

c) had

d) had been

1.12 We will ... studying on Saturday. a) have

b) have been

c) be

d) had been

1.13 It’s the law. She … pay the fine. a) can

b) have to

c) must

d) might

1.10 I ... soccer since I was seven.

1.14 I have ... bowls right here.

a) large round b) round large c) large rond

d) around

1.15 She has ... lips.

a) taut

c) athletic

d) blonde

1.16 I wear my ... pants when I paint. a) silk precious b) cheap old

c) old ugly

d) torn old

1.17 She can be … but gloomy too. 1.18 She’s a shrinking violet;

she’s very …

1.19 He punished the boy ...

a) shy

b) cheerful

c) lazy

d) stubborn

a) honest.

b) dishonest.

c) happy.

d) shy.

a) harsh.

b) harshly.

c) harshily.

d) harschly.

b) informal.

c) formal.

d) slangy.

b) funny.

c) serious.

d) playful.

1.20 The law does not equivocate is a) neutral. 1.21 The tone of a legal

document is ...

124 ESSENTIALS

b) thin

a) sarcastic.

2.1 I passed all of my exams is ...

a) a phrase.

b) a clause.

c) a sentence. d) b and c.

2.2 I’ve been singing ... I was two.

a) before

b) when

c) since

d) until

2.3 I like coffee ... I don’t like tea.

a) , but

b) , so

c) even

d) just as

2.4 It was sunny, ... I wore a hat.

a) because

b) since

c) so

d) because of

2.5 While we were singing is ...

a) complete.

b) fused.

c) a fragment. d) a clause.

3.1 Brainstorm ideas for paragraphs a) after finishing

b) now

3.2 Topic sentences include ...

a) two ideas.

3.3 Effective essay conclusions ...

a) summarize. b) argue a point.

c) state new ideas.

3.4 A body paragraph needs ...

a) sub-paragraphs.

b) modals.

c) a topic sentence.

4.1 Process essays must include

a) dramatic conflict.

b) clear explanations.

4.2 Narrative essays ...

a) tell a story. b) make a point.

4.3 Descriptive essays should be ... a) accurate.

b) the controlling idea.

c) before writing

b) always concise.

c) four ideas.

c) irony.

c) (a and b). c) full of action.

4.4 We discuss similarities in ...

a) compare and contrast essays. b) list essays.

c) all essays.

4.5 There is a single cause for ...

a) every effect. b) some effects. c) effective essays.

4.6 Argumentative essays require … a) opinions only.

b) some anger. c) clear logic.

4.7 A good persuasive essay can ... a) ignore opposing views.

b) cause readers to act.

EXIT TEST 125

Sample Essays and Additional Reference 1 PROCESS ESSAY Theses are identified with a double underline. The topic sentences have a single underline.

How to Listen There is a saying that we have two ears and just one mouth, so we should listen more than we speak. Unfortunately, many people do not know how to really listen. Someone who simply hears another person’s words is not necessarily listening effectively, and may miss parts of the intended message. Instead of just hearing someone, try three useful strategies to help you listen more effectively. Focus on more than just the words. Words carry only part of a speaker’s message. If you pay attention to their tone of voice, you can learn more about how they feel, and this may be part of their message. If someone’s voice is quavering, they might be stressed, afraid or uncertain. Notice other aspects of the speaker’s body language. Are their arms or legs crossed? This could mean she or he feels defensive. Is the person not looking at you in the eye? This may mean the person is not being honest. Show the person speaking that you are an engaged listener. Let them know you are paying attention by saying a few words, such as “Okay, I understand.” Other ways to improve the listening experience are asking questions if you don’t understand something, or trying to paraphrase what they’ve said in order to confirm your understanding. Stick to the speaker’s topic. To develop a reputation as a good listener, focus on what the speaker is saying and stick to her or his topic. You can certainly start talking about another subject, but always remember to return to your speaker’s initial idea. This is an excellent way of telling someone that you’re paying particular attention to their concerns and their insights, not just your own. In conclusion, there are strategies to help you listen more effectively. Listen with your mind, give the speaker a little verbal feedback, and stay on the speaker’s path during the conversation: these strategies will improve your ability to receive the message the speaker is trying to communicate.

2 NARRATIVE ESSAY Winning the Door Prize I will never forget the summer when we stayed at my grandfather’s cottage. The days seemed to stretch on forever as we swam, made open fires every night and paddled our tiny fibreglass canoe around the pristine lake. I can still see the lake now. I remember a dense forest of pine trees and the general store in the town where we went to buy our groceries, board games, swimsuits, you name it. I remember almost every detail about that summer, but what really stands out is the magical evening when I won a prize at the summer festival. At the end of July there was a festival to celebrate the day the town was founded. There was a parade through the centre of town, and in the evening 126 ESSENTIALS

there was a dance in the local community centre; it was a big ugly building with lots of chrome and glass that looked out of place among the other quaint buildings in the old town. That ugly building, however, turned out to be the place where I had my most unforgettable experience during that wonderful summer. While watching the parade on the main thoroughfare in town, I fell in love. My family and I stood next to another family of tourists. One of the daughters was my age and she was beautiful, but she seemed very cold and aloof. She looked like she’d been in the sun as long as I had: we both had dark tans and our skins almost had the same brown colour as the façade of the general store we were standing in front of. At the dance that night, I spoke to her and found out that she was very shy. When she relaxed and started talking, we discovered that we had a lot in common besides our tans. We danced together and talked all night long. We discovered that we both planned to travel and wanted to study psychology. My sister came by and told us that lots of people had noticed us and were calling us “The Tanned Twosome.” At the end of the evening, they gave out door prizes. One prize was a fishing rod, another was a barbecue. Finally, the mayor held up an envelope and announced that this was the last prize. He pulled a piece of paper out of a hat, and called a number. It was the number of my ticket and I bounded up to the front to get my prize. He handed me the envelope and asked me to tell everyone what my prize was. I pulled out two tickets, looked at them and started laughing. As soon as I could stop laughing, I held up the tickets and shouted out so everybody could hear, “Two free sessions at The Tropical Tanning Salon!” The whole room erupted in laughter. I’ll never forget that evening.

3 DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY The Great Karoo Africa, as many writers correctly describe it, is the cradle of humanity, and many of its regions are certainly not hard to fall in love with. The Great Karoo is one such region. Although its harsh, desert-like and inhospitable climate is not very appealing, its spectacular beauty never ceases to amaze. The Karoo is situated north of the Garden Route, whose shores extend to meet the Indian Ocean. Karoo is an ancient name which means dry, unfruitful and uninhabited. This doesn’t sound too welcoming, but the Karoo only opens up to people who are willing to take the time to discover its hidden beauties. Animal and plant life in the Karoo is complex and rich. Plants, animals and humans all struggle for a space to survive. Water is scarce and precious. Rainfall is often less than 150 millimetres a year. Sometimes, however, there are heavy rains and terrible floods which uproot and carry everyone and everything in their devastating passage. The veld (or wilderness) may seem boring at first with its grey bushes and low growing trees, but on close inspection, one notices many varieties of aloes, and the pretty yellows of pomegranate flowers and sweet thorn in contrast with the reds of the cancer bushes and the chandelier plants. Many different animals, such as ostriches, zebras, baboons, springbucks, leopards, jackals and the nearly extinct aardvark make a home in the Karoo. There is also a variety of birds. Not surprisingly, the arid conditions accommodate more than 90 types of snakes, including puff adders and deadly cobras. Human diversity also thrives in this region. The original inhabitants of the Karoo were the Bushmen and the Khoikhoi. Traces of their passage can still be © 2012, Les Éditions CEC inc. • Reproduction prohibited

SAMPLE ESSAYS AND ADDITIONAL REFERERENCES 127

found in beautifully painted caves. There are also the Afrikaners, the farmers and miners of Dutch, French and German descent whose ancestors came up from Cape Town and decided to settle this unforgiving land. They are industrious and friendly people, and they give full meaning to the term hospitality. The farmers lead a hard life and are often preoccupied with judiciously managing their water allocation. This is critical if there is to be water for all. Every farm has a windmill which operates only when the wind blows, and every stroke at the water pump only produces a cup of precious water. It is a gift to be welcomed by such wonderful people in such a great land. The beauty of the immense horizons, the star-studded skies, the spectacular sunsets, the mountains that seem to be carved by the divine, the infinite silence and the generosity of the people, all of these eye-catching attributes will remain a treasure in my heart forever.

4 COMPARE AND CONTRAST ESSAY Mars and Venus We have all heard the expression that men are from Mars and women from Venus. What does it really mean? Are we faced with a marketing ploy to make us buy more books and other paraphernalia, or is it real? Although scientists seem to agree that there are differences, mostly due to socialization and biology, men and women are actually more similar than they are different. Differences between genders are attributed to biological factors, such as sex chromosomes, hormones, emotional make-up and brain lateralization. However, this is only half of the story; socialization of the sexes is the other half. As children, boys and girls first identify with their own gender. Both sexes seek confirmation that their actions and responses are gender appropriate. Identification of gender roles is a central and major factor in the development of gender differences. Gender roles are not difficult to detect in traditional patriarchal societies: women take care of home and children, whereas men provide and protect their families. While gender roles in Western societies are shifting, they are still identifiable, namely in the areas of careers and relationships. In our society, both women and men have careers. If we look at leadership styles, women are more transformational; in contrast, men have a more laissez-faire attitude. Differences in managerial styles are often used to create stereotypes, which affect work attitudes and compensation. Women are perceived as having less authority. When work experience and work hours are taken into account, women earn significantly less than men. Although the stress to perform and succeed is equal for both women and men, women at higher levels report having more obstacles on their way to success than men. Apart from careers, relationships are another interesting area in which to compare and contrast genders. When relationships are mutually supportive, the levels of psychological distress will obviously be low for both men and women. The opposite is also true: when relationships are strained, distress will be high for both genders. While men feel emotional distress as much as women, men tend not to show it. Women more readily report family problems, or those relating to physical and mental health, than men. However, reactions to emotional distress, such as depression or over consumption of alcohol and drugs, are not gender specific.

128 ESSENTIALS

ÂŠ 2012, Les Ă&#x2030;ditions CEC inc. â&#x20AC;˘ Reproduction prohibited

Biology and socialization contribute to the differences commonly observed between genders. However, when all things are considered, gender differences are not that great. Socialization literature may not encourage it, but Venus and Mars are more similar than we think.

5 CAUSE AND EFFECT ESSAY Stress and the Student You have been dreaming of college and freedom for as long as you can remember. You are now a college student. You are an adult with adult responsibilities, yet you don’t feel free; you are all stressed out. College life can be very liberating, but also very demanding. It is imperative that college students learn to recognize the causes and effects of stress in order to start adult life on the right path. Evidence shows that academic pressure can be very challenging for new college students. Academic stress is caused by having to meet learning objectives that are a lot more demanding and have more serious consequences than high school objectives. Then, there’s learning to organize more difficult classes with a part-time job, a social calendar, exams and other obstacles, which can be extremely hard at first. Handing in good assignments on time and doing well on exams is countered by being tempted with newfound freedom. Life’s choices all seem to collide in the first few years of young adulthood. Moreover, there are social stresses caused by having to adapt to a new lifestyle. Because the school day in college encourages independence, it creates responsibilities that must be dealt with in an adult way. Students have to learn to balance friendships and studies, and instead of going to that exciting party, they must opt to study for that exam. Recreating a new support system to replace the one provided by parents is another challenging lifestyle change. Since families provide security and boundaries, finding a new identity in order to test the rules originally set out by parents can cause insecurity issues. Psychologists have proven that uncertainty and lack of identity are major causes of stress. When academic and social pressures are not well-managed, the effects on one’s start in life can be very serious. Depression, dropping out of school, unreasonable fears of negative results, and low self-esteem are a shortlist of some of the effects of failing to recognize and address the relative challenges of college life. The impact on living habits can create more long-term personal issues, such as excessive drinking, drug abuse and/or eating disorders. It is no surprise that stress has an impact on physical and mental health but, for young adults, too often it is confused with a rite of passage. This is misleading. College students have serious stress issues that can have life-long repercussions. Fortunately, these issues can be easily managed and addressed by learning to manage time, keep track of assignments and also avoid consuming drugs, too much alcohol, caffeine and energy drinks. Although stress can be helpful in motivating a student beyond a certain level, experts agree that it can do serious damage to health, productivity, relationships and quality of life.

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6 ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY Modern Gladiators It has become very difficult to get a well-paying job. There is a recession looming, families are losing their homes and governments are cutting back. On the other hand, actors and professional athletes are signing multi-million dollars contracts as their fans look on adoringly. Are these high salaries justified? Actors and professional athletes are paid too much; no job in the world is worth millions of dollars for a few months of work. A simple comparison shows the injustice. Do you remember your first job? It was probably in the service industry and so you were certainly paid minimum wage. In contrast, Lebron James’ first paycheck was a cool $12.96 million dollars for a three-year contract. That works out to $1,100 per minute. How fair is that? Hockey players aren’t any better; they make an average $2.4 million a year, while the highest pay for a high school teacher is around $65,000 yearly. Teachers’ work is important to society: they educate, enlighten the minds of youngsters, shape future leaders and try to give students the best possible learning experience. Take away teachers and we’ll have no one to educate our children. Take away athletes and actors and we’ll have to look at other forms of entertainment. Some observers stress that we must not judge actors and athletes for their value to society but as products which generate large revenues. They say that in 1995, Americans spent $13.1 billion on ticket purchases, and that figure continues to increase every year. It seems to me that these billions only serve to make already extravagantly rich people richer. Certainly some of this money trickles down to little people like you and me, but it is only in the form of minimum wage. It’s true that actors and athletes are always on the road and rarely see their families. They also pay a high price with loss of privacy. They are very talented and that’s why people pay the big bucks to watch them. After all who would you rather watch; a Shaquille O’Neal, or a brain surgeon performing a life saving operation? I don’t argue the fact that athletes and actors shouldn’t be well paid. I argue that their salaries are so inflated that the average person, with a minimum wage, can barely afford tickets to a ball game, a concert and even a movie. I also argue that some athletes and actors are not that good and some are actually very bad role models, so they don’t deserve their huge contracts. Some, like Lindsay Lohan and Kobe Bryant, are involved in drug and sex scandals that would make the devil blush. Others, like O.J. Simpson, even get away with murder. Everyone enjoys a good movie or an exciting ball game, but tickets prices have skyrocketed to pay high salaries. Actors and athletes are highly skilled people and they should be paid well. However, no one deserves million-dollar paychecks just to entertain the masses, for only a few hours, like the gladiators of yore.

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7 PERSUASIVE ESSAY Fast Food Labels Information is a powerful tool that can generate change. Would anyone put potentially harmful products, such as cleaning fluids or paint remover in the hands of a child? No, because having read the warning labels, we know that these products are dangerous. Being informed about the food we eat is essential to making healthy food choices, so fast food products should have warning labels. Lack of reliable information is a serious problem. People often believe falsehoods just because they heard it from a neighbour, a friend, the TV, or the internet. When proper information is not easily available, people tend to believe just about anything. A generally agreed view is that the public has always known that fast food has little nutritional value. However, how many people know that fast food is high in trans-fats, calories, and sodium, offering very little in essential vitamins and minerals? It took books like Fast Food Nation and the documentary film Super Size Me to make the public realize how harmful fast food really is. Since then, the fast food industry has attempted to offer healthier choices. Consequently, we can safely say that information is essential to usher in change. Harmful products come with labels. Cigarette companies are obliged to post warning labels, and these have helped to bring about changes in consumer behaviour and attitudes. Education is always a good thing, and warning labels have the advantage of giving concise and reliable information. Knowing about the potential dangers of junk food is a positive thing for consumers, but the prepared-food industry resists change because there are multi-billion dollars profits at stake. After all, Americans spend an average of $4 billion per year on french fries alone and another $3 billion on potato chips. It is useful to look at the costs and benefits of warning labels. Some people resent warnings as an intrusion upon their privacy. However, consumers must be made aware that consumption of junk food causes obesity, high blood pressure, heart diseases and diabetes. Some say that there is no evidence that labels on products change consumers’ behaviour, and that the additional costs of posting labels will be passed on to the consumers. One must ask, “What is the cost of a human life?” When customers get sick, we all pay for the high medicare costs; certainly that is more than the price of a hamburger. Clearly, junk food is cheap, tasty and convenient, but people must be informed about how unhealthy it is. Warning labels are a fast and easy way to inform people. The government must be told that consumers have a right to information about the food they eat. Moreover, if customers boycotted junk food, diminished profits would force the industry to improve its standards. Customers would then be healthier because of this sweeping change, creating a win/win proposition for everyone.

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Common Preposition Combinations The appropriate combination of verbs, or adjectives, with prepositions is a constant problem for learners of English. The following is only a partial list. Wherever the abbreviations sby (=somebody) and sthg (=something) do not appear, it means that this preposition combination works with both a person or a thing.

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absent from sthg

engaged in sthg

opposed to sthg

accused of sthg

engaged to sby

patient with

addicted to

equipped with sthg

participate in sthg

afraid of

excel in/at sthg

pleased with

agree with sby about sthg

excited about

pay for sthg (but pay sby)

angry with sby

exhausted from sthg

prepared for

angry about sthg

excused for sthg

prevent from

apologize to sby for sthg

familiar with

protect from

argue with sby

fight for

proud of

argue about sthg

filled with sthg

provide sby with sthg

arrive in (a place)

forget about

qualifed for sthg

ask sby for sthg

friendly to sby

reason for sthg

aware of

frightened of

recover from sthg

bad at sthg

furnished with sthg

related to

believe in

guilty of sthg

rely on

belong to

hope for

remembered for sthg

blame for sthg

innocent of sthg

responsible for

bored with/by

involved in sthg

run into

care about

insist on

satisfied with

care for

interested in

shocked at/by

committed to

jealous of

sorry for sby/about sthg

consist of

laugh at sby

take advantage of

crash into

laugh about sthg

terrified of

crowded with

listen to

think of ( = imagine)

die of sthg

look at

think about ( = consider)

different from/than

look after ( = care for)

tired of

disappointed in/with sby

look forward to sthg

unfamiliar with

disappointed with sthg

made from/of sthg

upset with

dream of ( = imagine)

married to

vote for

dream about (while sleeping)

object to

worried about

Linking Words: Overview For more details on usage and punctuation, see Units 2.1 to 2.4.

Time These time words can be used to link ideas in compound and complex sentences. after by the time since when as soon as every time till whenever before for until while

Compare and Contrast Conjunctions and transitional words can be used when expressing similarities or differences between ideas. Similarities as well as both comparatively correspondingly

equally in comparison just as

Differences although but different from (+noun/pronoun) even though however in contrast in spite of/despite (+noun/pronoun)

like similarly so

together too with

instead on the other hand though unlike (+noun/pronoun) whereas/while yet

Cause and Effect A cause and effect relationship can be expressed using linking words to connect a dependent and an independent clause or two independent clauses. as a result hence (formal) as long as owing to (+ noun/pronoun) because since because of so consequently therefore due to thus for this reason

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Punctuation and Capitalization Punctuation Period

Purpose Separates complete ideas or main clauses.

Example She left her iPad on your desk. The file is not downloading.

Comma

1. Separates three or more words in a sentence

1. G reen, blue, grey and brown are good colours for your room.

2. Introduces reported speech

2. T om said, “It’s done!”

3. Separates two main clauses with a coordinating conjunction

3. M artyna is happy, and her eyes are shining.

4. Separates a subordinating clause from the main clause.

4. A lthough he isn’t sick, he doesn’t look very good.

Question mark

Indicates a question.

What is the highest mountain in Europe?

Exclamation mark

Shows emotions. (Avoid overusing it.)

This painting is fabulous!

Quotation marks

Indicates reported speech or a quotation.

James said, “I don’t think you should invite them.”

Semi-colon

;

1. Separates two main clauses with a related idea

1. I left the report on your desk; it’s in a blue folder.

2. Links two sentences with a transitional expression (however, unfortunately, etc.) Please note that periods can replace a semi-colon in this function.

2. W e were very impressed with your qualifications; unfortunately, our department is not offering a position at this time.

Colon

1. Introduces a list of items

1. I want to visit three cities: Gdansk, Warsaw and Krakow.

2. F ollows the name of the recipient in a salutation, although this is more formal than a comma.

2. Dear Ms. Reinhardt:

1. Contracts a verb

1. It’s taking him some time.

2. Indicates possession.

2. Samantha’s coat is new.

Purpose 1. Days of the week 2. Months, places, streets 3. Titles for movies, books and essays (Do not capitalize mid-sentence articles, coordinating conjunctions and functional prepositions that are not part of a phrasal verb, e.g. growing up, take in, etc.) 4. Nationalities, religions and languages

Example 1. Sunday, Tuesday, etc. 2. October, Italy, Sunset Boulevard 3. The Lord of the Rings, Growing Up in the Suburbs

. ,

? !

“ ”

Apostrophe

’

Capitalization Capital letters

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4. French, Muslim, Spanish

False cognates For more on false cognates, see Unit 1.5. achieve = succeed The US achieved their goal of landing a man on the moon. actual = existing in fact The actual problem in the economy is inflation. actually = in fact Actually, he’s not a doctor. He’s a homeopathic healer. advise = recommend Her lawyer advised her to plead guilty. advertisement = commercial publicity to sell something. This TV ad is so funny. adept = talented She’s a very adept guitar player. affair = extra-marital relationship The boss had an affair with the assistant. assist = help The nurse assisted him to his wheelchair. attend = be present I attended my brother’s graduation. auditory = related to hearing I learn best when I hear; I’m an auditory person. bless = ask for divine help The priest blessed our new boat before we left. comprehensive = complete The doctor gave him a comprehensive check-up. conductor = orchestra director The conductor waved his baton. current = happening at present time She likes to follow the current fashion. deceive = mislead The politician deceived the voters. delay = make wait The train was delayed by a snowstorm. deranged = behaving strangely Her erratic behaviour made her seem deranged. formation = arrangement The soldiers lined up in a formation of three rows. furniture = chairs, tables, etc. The furniture looks expensive. hazard = danger The biggest hazard for drivers is the ice.

itinerant = moving from place to place The itinerant workers left in a large bus. journey = one-way trip Her journey took her from Ottawa to Vancouver. lecture = speech about a subject The professor gave a short lecture. library = place to borrow books I have to return this book to the library. manifestation = sign The flowers were a manifestation of his love. pretend = give a false impression I pretended to be smarter than I really was. publicity = attention in the media The event got good publicity. quit = stop doing She quit smoking. regard = to think attentively, to take into account. Teachers have high regards for their students’ accomplishments. report = give information about The janitor reported me to the principal. retire = stop working After twenty years he retired from the banking industry. scientific = related to science I do a lot of scientific research on insects. scientist = person working in science That scientist is an expert in genetics. sensible = logical That is a sensible plan for sharing the work. sensitive = understanding She was sensitive to his moods. stage = platform for performers There were three actors on the stage. supply = provide I supplied the paint. support = help They supported my plan. sympathetic = understanding They were sympathetic toward the victim. voyage = long trip on water The voyage across the ocean lasted days.

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Common Irregular Verbs — Phonetic Base Form

Simple Past

Past Participle

Base Form

Group 1: No change

bet bid broadcast burst cost cut hit hurt let put quit shut spread upset

Group 2: Simple past change only

become come run

became came ran

become come run

Group 3: Simple past and past participle are the same

dig hang spin stick strike hold shoot sit stand understand win wring

dug hung spun stuck struck held shot sat stood understood won wrung

Group 4: The i to a to u change

begin drink ring sing sink spring stink swim

began drank rang sang sank sprang stank swam

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begun drunk rung sung sunk sprung stunk swum

Simple Past

Past Participle

Group 5: The d ending

bleed feed lead read speed find grind wind pay say have hear sell

bled fed led read sped found ground wound paid said (like “red”) had heard sold

dealt felt kept left meant met slept brought bought caught fought sought taught thought bent built lent sent spent

bled fed led read sped found ground wound paid said had heard sold

dealt felt kept left meant met slept brought bought caught fought sought taught thought bent built lent sent spent

Simple Past

Past Participle

Group 7: Simple past change; the past participle ends with an n

Group 6: The simple past and past participle end in a t

deal feel keep leave mean meet sleep bring buy catch fight seek teach think bend build lend send spend

Base Form

blow grow know throw fly break choose drive freeze ride rise speak steal swear tear wear write get forget mistake shake take bite hide eat fall give see do go

blew grew knew threw flew broke chose drove froze rode rose spoke stole swore tore wore wrote got forgot mistook shook took bit hid ate fell gave saw did went

blown grown known thrown flown broken chosen driven frozen ridden risen spoken stolen sworn torn worn written gotten forgotten mistaken shaken taken bitten hidden eaten fallen given seen done gone

Note that in Canadian English the following simple past and past participle forms are used: dream - dreamed/dreamt - dreamed/dreamt get - got - gotten/got spell - spelled/spelt - spelled/spelt spill - spilled/spilt - spilled/spilt © 2012, Les Éditions CEC inc. • Reproduction prohibited

Essentials: Reference and Practice for Writing – Intermediate offers

clear, concise reference material and useful practice activities for the writing needs of intermediate-level Cégep students. Combined with any course material, Essentials provides short, stand-alone units which cover grammar, vocabulary-building, paragraphing and essay types. Other practical features include Start and Exit Tests for self-assessment purposes, essay samples and additional reference material on preposition usage, false cognates, linking words, punctuation and phonetic patterns in irregular verbs.

Essentials consists of: • 38 stand-alone units that include dictionary use to essay questions • Start and Exit Tests to pinpoint which units to focus on in the book • Consolidation writing tasks for each section • Editing activities for reviewing all of the theory • Sample essays and additional reference material about the author

Maria Lee-Arpino has been teaching ESL for over twenty years. She has taught all ages from kindergarten children to adult professionals, as well as all levels from beginners to advanced. She has written and published a wide variety of ESL didactic material over the course of her career.

CODE DE PRODUIT : 211803 ISBN 978-2-7617-3724-1